Continuous mixer



July 28, 1936. J. APPLE 2,048,913

CONTINUOUS MIXER Filed Sept. '15, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 JPCk App/e July 28, 1936. J APPLE 2,048,913

CONTINUOUS MIXER Filed Sept. 15, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Cal Patented July 28, 1936 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in continuous mixers.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved mixer for continuously mixing concrete T or any other liquid and dry materials.

A- particular object of the invention is to provide improved means whereby a supply of liquid may be constantly introduced and equally distributed, while the dry materials are being fed into the mixing chamber.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for carrying a body of liquid contiguous to the inlet, whereby an adequate supply of liquid is immediately available.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a liquid inlet so arranged as to produce a continuous circular opening, when operated, whereby a continuous liquid stream entirely surrounding the dry material feed may be had, and also whereby said stream may be positively regulated and controlled.

' A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings in which an example of the invention is shown, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a mixer constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional View of the same.

Figure 3 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the water chamber and hopper, taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2. Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of the mixing drum, taken on the line l-l of Figure 2, and

Figure 5 is a detail of the pivoted lever for raising and lowering the hopper.

In the drawings the numeral 55 designates an elongated mixing drum or chamber, which is preferably circular in shape, although the invention is not to be so limited. A spout l l is provided at one end of the drum and extends upwardly from the same. The upper edge of the spout l l is bevelled to form a seat #2, which re isters with the lower bevelled edge l3 of the depending apron or neck it of an adjustable hopper l hwhen said hopper is in its lowered posi tion, as will be hereinafter explained.

A circular jacket 55, preferably made integral with the drum I0, extends upwardly from the same and surrounds the spout II and lower end of the hopper Hi. The diameter of the jacket is slightly larger than that of the spout and hopper, whereby a water chamber it is formed therebetween. A stufiing box ll, of the usual type, is provided at the upper end of the jacket and the lower end of the hopper M is slidable therein.

The jacket l5 has an opening is in one side and this opening receives one end of a Water conductor or pipe H, which leads from a water reservoir (not shown). The outer side of the spout l l, which forms one of the inner sides of the water chamber 86, is pro-vided with corrugations which tend to cause the water to whirl when the same enters the chamber from the conductor 89. The water passes from the chamber it into the spout ll through the opening provided between the lower edge is of the hopper M and the upper edge E2 of the spout l B. It is obvious that by raising or lowering the hopper it, the amount of water entering the spout it may be controlled.

For raising and lowering the hopper t l, I provide a lever 2B which has a yoke 22 at one end The yoke engages around the neck M of the hopper l4 and is pivotally secured thereto by bolts 23. A post 2Q extends upwardly from the drum ill and has the lever 2i pivotally mounted on its upper end. The outer end of the lever is pivoted on a bolt to a screw-threaded collar 26, which surrounds an elongated screw-threaded rod 2i. The rod 2i is rotatably supported on the drum H! in a bearing 28. Thus, as the rod 27 is rotated by its hand wheel 2?, the collar will travel upwardly or downwardly along the rod, depending on which direction the rod is rotated, thereby swinging the lever Zl and raising or lowering the hopper i l. To allow for lost motion and also to prevent the hopper from traveling in other than a vertical line, the bolts 23, which are secured in the neck of the hopper, pass through slots 23 in the yoke 22 to make the pivotal mounting. Similarly, the bolt 25 on the collar 26 passes through a slot 25' in the other end of the lever.

In using the device, dry material, such as cem nt and the like, is introduced into the hopper i l and enters the drum Hi through the spout H. A central shaft 38 extends parallel with the longitudinal axis of the drum within the same and has one end supported in a bearing 3i, which is secured to one of the end Walls of said drum. The other end of the shaft extendsthrough the opposite end wall and has a gear 32 mounted thereon. The gear may be driven by any suitable means, whereby the shaft is rotated.

The shaft carries a plurality of blades or heaters 33. The blades are so shaped that as the shaft is rotated said blades will push the material entering the drum forwardly of said drum.

At the same time that the dry material is poured into the hopper I4 the desired supply of water enters the spout H, as has been hereinbefore explained. A shield 34, secured to the inner end of the hopper and extending downwardly to the drum, prevents the dry material and water from mixing before they contact the revolving blades or heaters 33. The blades serve to thoroughly mix the liquid with the material and at the same time they carry the mixture forwardly within the drum.

An opening 34 is provided in the underside of the drum at its forward end and this opening leads to a box 35 which supports the forward end of said drum. A suitable support 36, which is the height of the box 35, supports the rear end of the drum. The box 35 has a suitable conductor or hose 3'! leading therefrom. The conductor has connection with a suction pump (not shown), whereby the mixture may be removed from the box after it leaves the drum l0.

With the arrangement shown in the drawings, it is possible to regulate the water supply in proportion to the dry material. The device needs no attention after the rod 21 has been adjusted and it is only necessary to feed dry material to the hopper. Also one of the features of the invention is the circular water chamber Hi. It is noted that when the hopper I4 is raised, liquid entering the spout ll completely surrounds the dry material which is being poured into the drum. Thus a good mixture of the material and liquid is assured.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a mixer, a. mixing drum, a spout on the drum, a movable hopper above the spout, a liquid container surrounding the spout and the lower end of the hopper, the lower end of said hopper being alined with the upper end of the spout, whereby a liquid inlet from the container is formed between said lower end of the hopper and said upper end of the spout when said hopper is raised, and means for raising and lowering the hopper to enlarge or reduce said inlet.

2. In a mixer, a liquid container, a movable hopper, a drum, a spout on the drum directly below the hopper, the upper end of said spout being alined with the lower end of said hopper, whereby a liquid inlet from the container is formed between said upper end of the spout and said lower end of the hopper when the latter is raised, a pivoted lever having one of its ends secured to the hopper, and means for swinging the lever to raise or lower the hopper, whereby said inlet is enlarged or reduced.

3. A mixer comprising, a hopper for receiving and conducting dry material, a spout below the hopper for receiving said material, there being a water inlet between the hopper and the spout, means for storing water surrounding the lower end of the hopper, and means for moving the hopper for controlling the admission of water from said storage means into the hopper and spout.

4. A mixer comprising, a mixing receptacle, a movable hopper for receiving dry material and connected with said receptacle for delivering said material thereto, means for introducing water into said dry material at the lower end of said hopper, said introduction means being actuated by the movement of said hopper, and means for shielding the water introducing means from the dry material passing through the hopper.

5. In a mixer, a horizontal mixing drum, an upwardly faced inlet opening at one end thereof, a housing embracing the inlet opening, a vertically movable hopper having its discharge end above said opening and extending into said housing, a spout extending upwardly from said inlet opening, said spout and said hopper having cooperating portions, forming an annular inlet from said housing to said drum, means to adjust said inlet by movement of said hopper, and means for introducing liquid into said housing.

6. In an apparatus for cementing wells, a cement mixing device comprising an elongated cylindrical chamber having an inlet opening at one end and a discharge opening at its opposite end, a housing embracing said inlet opening, a vertically movable hopper having a cylindrical discharge end entering said housing above said inlet opening, a cylindrical wall extending upwardly from said inlet opening, said wall and said hopper having cooperating portions forming an adjustable annular inlet from said housing to said mixing chamber, a fluid supply pipe communicating with the lower end of said housing, means in said chamber for agitating material entering the same and advancing it from the inlet to the discharge opening of the chamber.

7. In a mixer, a mixing drum, a spout on the drum, an adjustable hopper above the spout for receiving and conducting dry material to the spout, a liquid container surrounding the spout and the lower end of the hopper, the lower end of the hopper being alined with the upper end of the spout, whereby a liquid inlet from the container is formed therebetween and means operated by the hopper for controlling the discharge of liquid from the container into the spout.

8. A mixer comprising, a mixing receptacle, an upright movable hopper for receiving dry material and discharging it into said receptacle, a water inlet surrounding the lower end of said hopper, the lower end of said hopper being alined with the upper end of a spout on the receptacle, whereby valve means are formed for opening and closing the inlet upon movement of the hopper, and means for shielding the water inlet from the dry material passing through the hopper.

9. A mixer comprising, a mixing drum, an upright spout on said drum, a vertically movable hopper co-acting with the spout to form a water entrance therebetween, means for moving said hopper to out 01f the admittance of water, a water receptacle surrounding the hopper, and a stuffing box at the top of the receptacle for receiving the lower end of the hopper.

10. A mixer including, a mixing drum, an upright spout on said drum, a vertically movable hopper engaging the spout and coacting therewith to form a water entrance therebetween when said hopper is moved, means for supplying water, and means for moving said hopper from said spout to form a water inlet or to out off or increase the admittance of water.

JACK APPLE. 

